Dimmer Friendly CFL Bulb Question

[CrimsonStache]

Bonjour fellow mustachians,

I am trying to replace all the lightbulbs in my house with CFL bulbs and have successfully replaced all the lights in the house that I rent that are not connected to dimming switches. Unfortunately, the person who built this house went crazy with dimmers and they are in every room. Has any one been able to find a non-expensive dimmable CFL 60W or CFL 65W Flood Lights? Google search turns up ones at ridiculous prices (like $13 per bulb).

This is what my dimmers look like:


Thanks in advance great mustachians

-Crimson 'Stache

[seattlecyclone]

CFLs are generally bad at dimming. Look into LEDs. They've come down a lot in price and more of them can be effectively dimmed.

[innkeeper77]

It looks like home depot sells CREE soft white 65W equivalent LED floodlights at slightly under $10 at http://www.homedepot.com/p/Cree-65W-Equivalent-Soft-White-BR30-Dimmable-LED-Flood-Light-BBR30-06527FLF-12DE26-4U100/206097760

Bright white and daylight version seem to only be a few cents more. Remember, with LED's, the bulbs will last a lot longer than CFL's! Most brands should be just fine.

[StacheInAFlash]

Yeah, don't bother with CFLs. They do have ones that are dimmer-friendly, but they are still garbage. I put $100 of them in my house after a remodel, and promptly swapped them out within months for LEDs. I found LEDs for all my recessed lights for $6 each, at Costco in $12 2-packs.

CFLs are like the LaserDisc, Betamax, and Windows Vista of the technology world....a good idea but almost immediately outdated and overshadowed by a better product. Just get the LEDs.

[pdxmonkey]

Definitely go with the LEDs. CFLs are not worth it at current prices. LEDs are less fragile, more efficient and no longer cost much more. And even crappy LED lights are instant on, unlike crappy CFL bulbs.

[JimLahey]

I tried one of the "dimmable" CFL bulbs in a lamp last year and it was not worth the money. It still flickered like a regular CFL bulb. I ended up returning it to Lowe's. I would just get LED bulbs as suggested.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

Yep. I got my LED floods at Costco and they dim fine. I didn't even get a special LED dimmer, although they exist. (See, LEDs have such low wattage, that it can be hard to find the right balance dimming.)

Brand makes a HUGE difference. I had gotten some at Home Depot that were way too bright. Was able to return them for a refund and went with Costco instead.

[FiftyIsTheNewTwenty]

Like others have said, go LED, and get a good brand like Cree (probably the best).  Off-brand ones can be unreliable.